Ms. Howell noted that the Provost has asked Mary Susan
Fishbaugh, Sharon
Weatherwax-Ripley, David Garloff, and herself to organize a conference-style
beginning to the next academic year.In response
to the criticism that most of the meetings in the pre-fall calendar cover the
same things, they will be starting a conference with presentations and breakout
sessions the first three days faculty are due back, August 22-24.This should help eliminate repetition and
also share important projects with many groups.Topics are not yet set, but may include instructional strategies,
Academic Foundations, advising, and so on.They will request that the Academic Senate have at least one
presentation.The goal of this
conference is to start something with value and use, and it should be something
a presenter could put on her or his vita as a professional presentation.

Noreen Lee noted that the Department of Health and Human
Performance currently has a “Coaching of Current Sport” course, which the
Coaching Soccer was a part of.Due to
demand and better coverage of topics, Coaching Soccer is going to be a separate
course.The practicum is a similar
situation, where many sports were grouped together and Item 40.a will separate
soccer.The Exercise Testing and
Prescription course is to fill a student need that was not being met.

Mary Susan Fishbaugh noted that these courses are to
accommodate student needs for more time in the field.Also, all students spent the same time in the
field but got variable credit, and this is unacceptable for Financial Aid.

Dean Fishbaugh noted that the crosslisted courses in these
two programs have become very confusing for students, as well as becoming an
issue with licensing agencies.These
changes will hopefully clarify those issues.

Mike Campbell, Chairperson of Business Academic Programs,
noted that the Board of Regents accepted this new program last year as a Level
I.They have now changed their minds and
want it resubmitted as a Level II.This
program modification changes some of the courses which should make the program
work better.The whole program is
online.

̃ Motion carried.

Item 78AAS in Computer Systems Technology.Modification of an existing program.

Item 78.aAAS in Computer Programming and
Application Development.Modification of
an existing program.

Item 78.bCertificate in Networking
Technology.Modification of an existing
program.

Audrey ConnerRosberg noted that these changes delete CTHO
103 and replace it with PSYC 101, which is the same course.This should help with transfer issues.Dr. ConnerRosberg will teach PSYC 101 at the
COT.

̃ Motion carried.

Item 83Certificate in Computer Assistant.Delete program.

Item 84Certificate to “Certificate of Applied
Science.”Modification of degree name,
including the following degrees:

Certificate in Accounting Assistant

Certificate in Assistant Drafter

Certificate in Automobile Collision
Refinishing Technician

Certificate in Automobile Collision
Repair Technician

Certificate in Automotive
Technology

Certificate in Diesel Technology

Certificate in Human Resources
Management

Certificate in Medical Coding and
Insurance Billing

Certificate in Networking

Certificate in Office Assistant

Certificate in Welding and Metal
Fabrication Technology

Item 86AAS in Accounting Technology.Modification of an existing program.

Item 86.a AAS in Administrative Assistant.Modification of an existing program.

Item 86.bAAS in Medical Assisting.Modification of an existing program.

Item 86.cCertificate in Accounting Assistant.Modification of an existing program.

Item 86.dCertificate in Office Assistant.Modification of an existing program.

Item 86.eAAS in Medical Administrative Assistant.Modification of an existing program.

Craig McKenzie noted that Item 83 deletes an out-of-date
certificate.Item 84 is in response to a
BOR mandate that all certificates be changed to certificates of applied science.Items 86-86.w re-adjust the accounting courses, which changes other
programs, and also clean up these programs.

̃ Motion carried.

VI.DISCUSSION/ACTION
ITEMS

A.Student Evaluation Recommendation:Keith Edgerton

Dr. Edgerton presented the following memo:

TO:Chancellor
Ron Sexton

Professor
Joe Howell, President of MSU-Billings Faculty Association

FROM:Keith Edgerton, Chair

Academic Senate

RE:Recommendation
to abandon current system of student evaluation

Earlier this academic
year the Academic Senate engaged in a lengthy debate over our current student
evaluation process that we utilize here at MSU-Billings.On behalf of the Senate, I emailed all of the
faculty to canvas their feelings on the current system we utilize.

The consensus was that
our current system is not terribly effective in assessing academic quality,
teaching effectiveness, or measuring student outcomes.Moreover, many students do not take the
evaluation form seriously.There was a
feeling, too, that the form—and the questions inherent to it—reward faculty
popularity rather than serving as a gauge or measure of genuine teaching rigor
and effectiveness.

While the Senate did
not develop an alternative assessment form or set of evaluative questions
(primarily because this a CBA issue at heart), it would like to make a
recommendation that the institution abandon the current form and institute a
much more simplified evaluation.As
such, it recommends that early in the fall semester the creation of a joint
Senate/FAC/Student/Administration task force to develop a new student
evaluation form and process.

It was noted that this is a bargaining issue, but at least
we are sending a message.The COT
faculty would like to be involved with the development of a new evaluation,
since their contract does not specify a particular evaluation.

̃ Motion by Sandie Rietz,
seconded by Mark Hardt to approve the
above memo and forward it to the Chancellor and Dr. Howell.

It was observed that we could go to the “three questions”
model:what are the course’s strengths,
what are the course’s weaknesses, and what would you change about the course?It was cited that this would make a good
topic for a session in the Back to School Conference.

̃ Motion carried.

Audrey ConnerRosberg, Bruce Brumley, and Johanna Mitchell
volunteered to approach the faculty unions about making a presentation at the
Back to School Conference on student evaluations.

B.Attendance at
Provost Council

Dr. ConnerRosberg noted that Dr. Edgerton has been attending
the Provost Council meetings every Wednesday.She would like someone besides herself to attend those meetings on a
rotating basis.

VII.Election
of Officers

A.3 Vice Chairs

̃ Bruce Brumley, Sandie
Rietz, and Lorrie Steerey were nominated for the positions of Vice Chair.

̃ Motion to elect carried.

It was noted that the vice chairs don’t have many
responsibilities.This may be a good
topic for discussion at the retreat.It
was noted that the vice chairs could attend the BOR meetings on a rotating
basis.

B.Secretary

̃ Mark Hardt was nominated
for the position of Secretary

̃ Motion to elect carried.

VIII.DISCUSSION/ACTION
ITEMS

A.New Programs to the BOR this Summer:

New
programs proposed by the Department of Sociology, Political Science, and
Native American Studies to the BOR in July:Major and teaching major in Political
Science, major in Criminal Justice, BA and BS teaching majors in
Sociology, major in Native American Studies.For information only.

New
program proposed by the Department of Biological and Physical Sciences to
the BOR in July:BS Major in Broadfield
Science with teaching option.For
information only.

It was noted that these programs are notices of intent to
the BOR that MSU-Billings will be proposing these programs soon.There is also a great deal of confusion about
approval of new programs.Apparently,
many faculty believe if new programs are approved by the BOR, they do not have
to be approved by the UCC, Grad Committee, and Senate.The Senate does not have a clear policy on
this issue.

Keith Edgerton requested that the following be entered into
the minutes:

April 27, 2006

From:Keith
Edgerton,Chair,AcademicSenate

To:Chancellor
Ron Sexton

Subj:Letter
of Appreciation, Ms. Rita Rabe-Meduna

Dear Chancellor Sexton:

As I have done now for the last four years,
on behalf of the Academic Senate I would like to take the opportunity to alert
you again to the exceptional effort put forth this year by Ms. Rita Rabe
Meduna, who divides her time as the Academic Senate's, UCC's, and General
Education Committee's secretary, responsibilities in your office, and in the
office of the Provost.Her work this
year for the Academic Senate has continued to be fantastic and she is worthy of
special commendation and recognition.I
think I am running out of adjectives to describe this energetic, cheerful, FABULOUS,
totally responsible, unflappable person.We are truly fortunate to have her.

I have worked with Rita for four years now
and never ONCE have I heard her complain, even during those moments when I and
other sometimes irascible faculty members are our least pleasant to be
around.We need more Rita Rabe Medunas
on this campus.She is special.Exceptionally special.I have never met anyone who can roll with the
punches quite like Rita can.

The Academic Senate wants, again, to extend
to her our utmost gratitude for her outstanding performance this past year
serving us.As I stated last year (and
the year before and the year before and the year before—and as we will
undoubtedly state next year and forever thereafter) whatever we are paying her
isn't nearly enough. She's a
fabulous campus representative and an invaluable member of our institution.

On behalf of the Academic Senate, and to
quote Ms. Rabe Meduna: "Score!"